Choir for sale on ebay
The choir of St Stephen's Church in Bristol has appeared as an item for sale on ebay. 'Venerable Anglican scarlet-robed choral tradition (SATB), of St Stephen's Church, Centre of Bristol. Good condition,' the text reads. 'Reason for sale: The choir have (with extreme sadness) decided that even though they would have liked to have assisted with the future plans for the church, they essentially have no place in the new worship arrangements that will soon be imposed, and that little opportunity for negotiation now exists.'
Over the past few years the choir has sung in guest appearances at: Notre Dame de Paris, Wells Cathedral, Buckfast Abbey, Bristol Cathedral, and St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and produced well reviewed concerts.
Repertoire apparently includes:
Arcadelt
Allegri
Ayleward
Attwood
Bach
Briggs
Bruckner
Bull
Byrd
Darke
Gabrieli
Gibbons
Lassus
Marsh
Mozart
Palestrina
Praetorious
Rose
Rutter
Stanford
Sumsion
Tallis
Taverner
Tye
Viadana
de Victoria
Vierne
Weelkes
(and many more....)
I hope to be speaking to the clergy and choir members later today to find out more!
I'll bid a tenor.
Posted by: Dave Rattigan | 29 Sep 2007 10:51:44
We need them here.
Posted by: Alan Marsh | 29 Sep 2007 12:46:15
I'll treble Dave's bid of a tenor.
Posted by: Stephen Marsden | 29 Sep 2007 13:25:11
Might it go for a song??
Posted by: Frog | 29 Sep 2007 14:04:44
I have a feeling they'll sell to more than one bidder, especially if there's a surplice.
Posted by: Dave Rattigan | 29 Sep 2007 18:17:37
I would like to acquire them.
Posted by: janis | 30 Sep 2007 03:38:55
I would like to acquire them.
Posted by: janis | 30 Sep 2007 03:39:49
I'll bid a quartet. Throw in the cassocks, please.
If haggling were an option, may we have a quarter of the sheet music on hand for a lump sum?
Posted by: Don Jon Alano | 1 Oct 2007 16:10:29
The level of puns on this thread is becoming rather bass. Erm, base.
Posted by: Dave Rattigan | 2 Oct 2007 09:05:02
It's much the same for choirs in USA: accept third-rate and inappropriate music (not a Grove Distcionary composer in sight) for an ill-chosen time-slot within the sole remaining Sunday service here -(congregational Eucharist (Mass) in the vernacular, or stay home and suffer. No Matins, no Evensong, so little of musical purpose in being there.
Posted by: Musicus Anglicus | 2 Oct 2007 14:58:22
I will be interested to see your follow up, but it seems an all too familiar story.
Having grown up, in and with the English choral tradition, I would have thought it would have gone on for ever. The truth is the 1950s seems very removed from today!
This story's familiarity seems like people on all sides of the fence thinking music is only about one style or the the other. In reality why can't we have the best of both worlds and be a bit more flexible. On both sides
Posted by: Stephen Clark | 3 Oct 2007 02:18:44
Greetings from the USA. It is sad that a high quality choir was not even considered for the future gathered worship plans of St. Stephen's.
However, I detect an even sadder note in all of this. Could it be that we are often guilty of glorifying the composer, the music, and the musician instead of the One who has given the music? Let's not lose sight of Whose glory it is we are really seeking here. When our perspective is right, I believe we will see both "traditions" finding harmony together, in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Posted by: Tony P | 5 Oct 2007 03:06:34
I notice that this item did not actually receive any bids...even though the starting bid was only 50 pence!
Posted by: Stehen Clark | 6 Oct 2007 04:05:44
To correct the previous post the last bid on the item was £26 before it was removed from sale. There were, I believe approximately 9 separate bidders.
Posted by: J Hagan | 6 Oct 2007 18:51:46
(in fact there were several bids but the vendor cancelled them prior to withdrawing the lot from sale)
Posted by: Ian B | 6 Oct 2007 22:06:39